Lubricator valve



l.. R. KERNs 2,0079

LUBRICATOR VALVE Filed May 1e, 1929 July 9, 1935.

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Tiill-A www INVENTOR Lennard Kemna ATTORNEY Patented July 9, 1935 UNITED STATES LUBRICATOR VALVE Leonard R. Kerns, Detroit, Mich., assigner, by mesne assignments, to The Farval Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a. corporation of Ohio Application May 16, 1929, Serial No. 363,536

1o claims.

The present invention pertains to a novel lubrieating valve of the general type disclosed in my co-pending applications, Serial Nos. 341,958; 341,959 and 341,960, filed February 23, 1929 designed for use particularly in connection with centralized lubricating systems by means of which a number of bearings may be simultaneously lubricated from a given source of lubricant.

The type of valve herein referred to includes a main chamber and a valve chamber having respectively a pressure inlet and a loading opening, While the Valve chamber also has an outlet for the delivery of lubricant to ,the delivery line.

` Loading and discharge ports. connect the valve chamber to the main chamber, and a piston valve slidably mounted in the Valve chamber is so dimensioned that in one position it permits communication from the loading opening through the valve chamber and loadingport into the main chamber, while obstructing the final discharge outlet, and in another position allows communication from the discharge port through the valve chamber to the outlet but obstructs the loading opening from the loading port.

In the operation of such a device, the lubricant is fed into the main chamber when the valve is in the rst position, and a spring behind the piston valve is relied upon to move the valve to the second position, whereupon pressure is applied to the inlet for the purpose of discharging the lubricant into the delivery line. It has been found however, `especially inthe case of heavy lubricants, that the pressure existing in the valve chamber after loading, is not overcome by the spring behind the piston valve, and consequently the latter does not readily move to the second position which permits discharge of the valve.

The object of the present invention is to overy come this diiiiculty and is accomplished by so arranging the piston valve that it does not obstruct the discharge port when in loading position. Consequently the pressure established during loading is applied to the rear of the valve, from l the main chamber throughy the open discharge l port, as well as to the face of the valve, and the valve lis therefore balanced. When the loading pressure is relieved,l the balance is overcome by the spring behind the valve, and the latter therefore readily moves to the second position which closes the loading port tothe main chamber and opens the outlet from the valve chamber. The preferred construction consists in employing a spring of such dimensions that, when compressed,

p it serves as a stop which prevents the piston valve.

from completely covering the discharge port.

The invention is fully disclosed by way ci. example Yin the following description and in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figurel is a sectional view of the valve in loading position; and

Fig. 2 is a similar section of the valve in discharging position.

. Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characters which are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

As shown in Figures l and 2, the valve includes a body I having an open and threaded upper end 2 over which is tted a cap 3. In the body is formed a main chamber fi accessible through the upper open end, While beneath the chamber is a transverse` or diametrical valve chamber 5. A Wall 6 is retained between these chambers. One

end or" the valve chamber is closed by a plug 1 and v into the other end isvthreaded a fitting 3, the bore 9 of which constitutes a loading opening as will presently appear.

The lower end oi the body has an outlet I il, and the Wall is formed with a loading port II and a discharge port I2 which connect the valve chamber with the main chamber. The ports II and I 2 have their axes at opposite sides of the axis of the outlet I0, the port II being nearer the loading opening 9 and the port I2 nearer the plug 'I.

Into Ythe cap 3 is tted a fitting I3 which constitutes a pressure inlet to the main chamber 4. Ihe chamber contains means such as a pis.- ton I4, whereby pressure from the fitting may be communicated towards the wall 6. The lt, ting I3 connects with a discharge pressure line I5 which may have similar, nipples connecting with similar units. Likewise, the tting 8 is connected to a loading line Iiileading from a main loadingline I'I which may have other similar branches Vextending therefrom.

In the valve chamber 5 is slidably mounted a piston valveIS behind which' is a spring I9 bearing against the plug l. In the loading position shown in Figure l, this valve opens the port II to thevalve chamber 5 and closes the outlet I0, while in the discharging position shown in Figure 2, the valve closes the port II to the loading opening but permits communication `from the discharge port I2 through the chamber 5 to the outlet I 0. In connection with Figure l it will also be seen that the spring I3 is so dimensioned that, when compressed, it functions as a stop. limiting the rearward movement of the valve I8 and preventing it from entirely covering the port I2.

The lines I5 and I I are connected to a single unit or to separate units for supplying lubricant under pressure to the ttings I3 and 8 respectively, the line I'l being however in communication with the source which is intended to supply lubricant to the bearings. To the outlet It) is connected a delivery line which conveys the lubricant to a bearing or to a series of bearings.

The lines I5 and I'l are each adapted to be operated under low and high pressure conditions, the high pressure line becoming the low pressure line for the succeeding stroke of piston I4, the opposite strokes of the piston I4 thus being provided by pressures from the respective lines.

As will be understood, the portion oi' chamber 4 below piston I4 constitutes the measuring chamber for the lubricant charge being produced and from which the charge is discharged toward the point of lubrication through outlet I8. This cycle is provided by rst loading this chamber with the lubricant and then emptying it by movement of the piston I4 toward wall 6. The specilic characteristics of the development of this cycle are as follows:

In the speciiic embodiment of the invention disclosed herein, the inactive position of the valve structure is shown in Fig. 2, in which piston I4 is located at the end of its stroke which emptied the measuring chamber. In this position, valve I8 is at the right end of the valve chamber, closing communication between the loading opening 9 and loading port lI, discharge port (permanently open) affording communication between the measuring chamber and valve chamber and through the latter to the outlet, the valve I8, in this position, not closing the outlet.

Pressure is new applied through line Il, line I5 being relieved of pressure at this time and becoming the low pressure side of the system.

' With pressure applied, valve I8 moves toward the left to rst close outlet I0 and then open the loading port II, this being the position of the valve I8 in Fig. 1. Since spring I9 forms a positive stop against the advance of valve I8 suiiicient to close discharge port I2, the two chamserves to raise piston I4, the effect of which is lineV I5 at this time, due to the fact that this pressure conditions.

to place discharge port I 2 in open communication with the loading opening 9 through loading port I0, thus opening the left end of Valve I8 to the While this may appear to provide an excess pressure at the left of the valve I8-due to the added pressure of spring I9 now compressed--such condition is absent at this time, since the pressure Within the measuring chamber is being determined by the low pressure that valve I8 is held in the position of Fig. 1 during this piston stroke.

vWhen piston I4 reaches the upper end of its stroke, it becomes non-yielding, thus raising the pressure in the measuring chamber to that of the loading line and consequently raising the pressure at the left of the valve I8 to the loading pressure plus the stored pressure of the spring, a preponderance of pressure at the left end of the valve. As long as the pressure in line Il is maintained, valve I8 is not materially shifted from this position, although the preponderance of pressure is at the left, due to the fact that it is necessary to displace the lubricant of the valve chamber at the right of the valve. While the stored pressure of the spring might tend to move the valve toward the right in Fig. l-it being possible to displace such advance lubricant into the measuring chamber and around to the left end of the piston-such valve movement is in the direction to shut off loading port II to not only reduce the portage for this transfer but also to shut off the measuring chamber from the pressure from I1. Consequently, Valve I3 is substantially balanced in the position of Fig. 1, while pressure is presented from line I1, due to the inability of spring IS to overcome this line pressure. When, however, the pressure in line I1 is reduced, the conditions change, and if the pressure in line I1 is reduced to a sufficiently low extent, the stored spring pressure may be sutucient to provide the necessary displacement of the lubricant back through the loading opening 9 to permit the valve to move to the position ci Fig. 2.

However, it may not be desirable to reduce the pressure of line I1 to this extent, nor to await the completion of the displacement, and to meet this condition, the specic structure disclosed is utilized, the high pressure of line I5 being brought into action, this being the portion of the cycle present in moving the parts from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 2.

Assuming the valve I8 to be approximately in the position of Fig. 1, and the pressure in line I'l reduced, the development of pressure in line I5 serves to apply pressure on the upper side of piston I4 which is in the direction to move the piston downward from its Fig. 1 position. This necessarily places the measuring chamber under the pressure of line I5, now the high pressure line. While this would tend to produce equal pressures in ports II and I2 and thus seemingly equal at opposite ends of valve I8, such condition is actually not present, since the pressure of loading opening 9 is now the low pressure of line Il, While the pressure at the left of valve i8 is that of the measuring chamber plus the stored pressure of spring I9, the combined pressures rapidly displacing the lubricant at the right of valve I8 into opening 9, and seating valve I8 in its position of Fig. 1, and opening outlet I0. Spring I9 thus augments the pressure at the left and aids in the rapid shift of the valve to the position of Fig. 2. With valve I8 in the latter position, the continued application of pressure from line I5 serves to empty the measuring chamber through outlet I0.

The successive charges are practically uniform as to amount content, since successive operations are generally of similar nature. If there be small return to the loading line during the initial movement of the piston I4 from the position of Fig. 1, the action would be similar in successive charges, so that the quantity discharged is substantially the same with each operation, thus producing the characteristics of a measured charge.

The result is obtained by maintaining the measuring and valve chambers in permanent aoovuec communication through port l2, with this communication at the end of valve I8 opposite that facing the loading pressure. Consequently, the left end of the valve i8 in the drawings is always subject to the pressure of the measuring chamber to which is added the Variable pressures or thespring i9 produced by the movement or" the valve, causing the valve i8 to move rapidly between its extremes of movement and thus avoiding the delays present where the spring pressure alone is utilized for displacing the head of lubricant, and making it possible to retain the low pressure line at a higher pressure.

1. In lubricating systems of the dual line type, wherein the lubricant for acharge is introduced into a measuring chamber from one feed line and the charge discharged from the chamber by pressure in the other line, and wherein the lines alternate as high and low pressure lines during the charge introducing and discharging operations, a valve structure operatively connected to both lines, said structure having a main chamber and a valve` chamber with a wall therebetween, one of said lines being operatively connected with an inlet to the main chamber, the other line being operatively connected with the valve chamber, said wall having a loading and a discharge port connecting the chambers, means in the main chamber movable in opposite directions by lubricant under pressure in the respective lines and forming a wall of the measuring chamber, said structure also having an outlet leading from the valve chamber toward the point of lubrication, a piston valve slidable in the valve chamber by means of lubricant under pressure from said line connected to said valve chamber for selectively controlling the loading and discharge of the measuring chamber and movable between positions for closing the loading port and the outlet respectively, and means operative tol limit valve movement relative to the discharge port to maintain communication between the measuring and valve chambers permanently open through the discharge port, said valve forming the sole control element for the movement of lubricant toy and from the measuring chamber in the introduction and discharge of the lubricant charge.

2. A system as in claim 1, characterized in that the movable Wall of the measuring chamber is in the form of a piston positioned relative to the inlet to the main chamber so that pressure through such inlet is operative to move the piston to discharge the contents of the measuring chamber.

3. A system as in claim l characterized in that the means for limiting the valve movement consists of a compressible spring, which when compressed serves as an abutment to limit the valve movement and which develops a stored pressure active to aid in shifting the valve in one direction.

4. A lubricator valve comprising a body having a main chamber and a valve chamber and a wall between said chambers, a iiuid pressure inlet to said main chamber and an outlet from said valve chamber, said wall having a loading port and a discharge port connecting said chambers, said body having a loading opening to said valve chamber, means in the mainchamber between the inlet and said wall for exerting pressure in said main chamber in the direction of said wall in presence of pressure from the inlet, a piston valve slidable in said valve chamber by means of lubricant under pressure from said loading opening and adapted to selectively obstruct said outlet and loading port, and means for limiting the valve movement to prevent valve closing of the discharge port and thereby maintain the two chambers in permanently open communication through the discharge port. l

5. A valve as in claim 4 characterized inthat the pressure exerting means of the main chamber is in the form of a piston which serves as a movable wall of the measuring chamber of the valve structure, piston movement in the direction of a stationary body wall being active to discharge the measuring chamber.

6. A valve structure as in claim 4 characterized in that the means for limiting the piston valve movement consists of a spring normally urging the valve in the direction of closing the loading port and being of such dimensions that, when compressed, will restrain the piston valve from closing the discharge port.

7. A valve structure as in claim 4 characterized in that the axis of the outlet is located between the axes of the loading and discharge ports, the valve chamber being closed at the end nearer the discharge port with the loading opening at the valve chamber end nearer the loading port.

8. VA valve structure as in claim 4 characterized in that the location of the discharge and loading ports and the outlet are such that during movements of the Valve between its extremes, said loading port and the outlet will be prevented from being opened or closed concurrently.

9. A lubricator valve comprising a body having a main chamber and a valve chamber and a wall between said chambers, said Wall having a loading port and a discharge port connecting said chambers, said body having a loading opening to and an outlet from said valve chamber, means for exerting a fluid pressure in said main chamber in the direction of said wall, a piston valve slidable in said valve chamber by means of lubricant under pressure from said loading opening and adapted to selectively obstruct said outlet and the loading port, and means for preventing said valve from completely covering said discharge port whilein maximum loading position said valve controlling the movement of lubricant from the loading opening to the outlet through the main chamber.

10. lin` lubricating systems of the dual line type, wherein the lubricant for a charge is introduced into a measuring chamber from one feed line and the charge discharged from the chamber by pressure in the other line, and wherein the lines alternate as high and low pressure lines during the charge introducing and discharging operations, a valve structure operatively connected to both lines, said structure having a main chamber constituting a measuring chamber and a valve cham-V ber in communication at spaced-apart points, one of said lines being operatively connected with the main chamber, the other line being operatively connected with the valve chamber adjacent one of said points of communication to constitute the latter as a loading port for the measuring chamber and the feed line therefor a loading line, means in the main chamber to form a wall of the measuring chamber movable by lubricant under pressure in the respective lines, said structure having an outlet from the valve chamber toward the point of lubrication, a piston valve slidable in the valve chamber by means of lubricant under pressure from the loadto and from the measuring chamber in the introduction and discharge of the lubricant charge, and means co-operative with the valve to prevent closure of the other point of communication between said chambers by the valve.

LEONARD R. KERNS. 

